Australian Gourmet Traveller – September 2019

225 gmdriedspaghetti

3 tbspunsaltedbutter,cut

intosmallcubes,atroom

temperature

2 tbspheavycream

1 tspsoysauce

4 sacsmentaiko(about115gm

total;seenote),splitopen

androegentlyscrapedout

½ cupshreddednori(or 1 sheet

nori,roastedoveraflame

andcutintomatchsticks)

8 shisoleaves,largerleaves

cutintoribbons

1 Bringalargesaucepanof

watertoaboilandseason

liberallywithsalttotaste(the

Mentaiko spaghetti

SERVES 2

“Mentaiko spaghetti is a perfect example of yoshoku food,” says

Orkin. “You take one look at it and you immediately know it’s

Japanese even though you’re staring at a bowl of Italian pasta.

The noodles are coated in cream, butter and fish roe, with a big

fistful of shiso leaves and nori piled on top. You’ll find it at pasta

restaurants throughout Japan, with a tiny salad and an iced coee

on the side. Mentaiko is cod or pollock roe that has been marinated

in togarashi – the eggs are tiny and come bundled in their natural

sacs, which you have to split open and scrape the roe from.”

water should taste like the

ocean). Add spaghetti and cook

according to packet instructions

until al dente, then drain pasta

and give it a good shake.

2 Add pasta to a large glass or

ceramic bowl, along with butter,

and stir with tongs or chopsticks

until the butter is mostly melted.

Add cream, soy sauce and ½ tsp

salt and toss and stir, then gently

mix in mentaiko until evenly

distributed throughout the pasta.

Divide pasta among two bowls,

top with piles of nori and shiso,

and serve immediately.

Note Mentaiko is available

from select Japanese grocers.

Prawn-vegetable fritter rice bowl

SERVES 4

“I’ve noticed that many people will draw an irrational line in the

sand when it comes to eating carbs on top of other carbs,” says

Orkin. “Kakiage, a fritter of shrimp and shredded vegetables, can

be eaten on its own, but it’s really better on top of rice. You’ll just

have to come to terms with eating fried food on a bed of starch.”

Vegetable oil, for

deep-frying

225 gm prawns, peeled and

cut into 1.5cm chunks

2 carrots, cut into matchsticks

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 asparagus, trimmed,

quartered lengthways

and cut into matchsticks

1 corn cob, husks and silks

removed, kernels sliced o„

Steamed rice (see recipe

at right), to serve

TEMPURA BATTER

2 large egg yolks

1¼ cups cake flour (see note),

sifted

TEN DON SAUCE

1 sheet kombu (12cm x 25cm;

see note)

4 cups (tightly packed)

katsuobushi (see note)

¾ cup soy sauce

½ cup mirin

2 tbsp sugar

1 For tempura batter, pour

1¾ cups iced water into a

bowl, add egg yolks and whisk

thoroughly to combine. Add

flour and whisk very lightly

(resist the urge to overmix).

2 For ten don sauce, bring

8 cups water to a simmer in a

large saucepan then remove

from the heat and add kombu.

Leave for 5 minutes, then add

katsuobushi, cover and leave

to soak for 15 minutes. Strain

through a fine sieve and cool.

Combine soy sauce, mirin,

sugar and 4 cups stock in a

saucepan and bring to a simmer

over medium heat, stirring to

dissolve the sugar. Cook until

liquid is reduced by about

three-quarters and is syrupy

(9 minutes). Cool. Makes

1½ cups. Ten don sauce will

keep refrigerated for a week.

3 Heat oil to 175°C in a large

saucepan over medium heat.

Line an oven tray with paper

towels or a wire rack. Toss

prawn, carrot, onion, asparagus

and corn in a bowl. Scoop

¼ cup prawn-and-vegetable

mixture into tempura batter,

then, with a slotted spoon,

scoop up the mix, shake o’

some of the excess batter, and

gently lower the mixture into

hot oil. Cook for 1 minute (the

batter should bind the mixture

into a rough disk), then flip the

disk over and cook for another

1 minute or until both sides

are crisp and very lightly

browned. Transfer to prepared

tray to drain and repeat with

remainder. Serve over steamed

rice in a bowl with a heavy

drizzle of ten don sauce.

Note Cake flour is available

from select supermarkets.

Kombu and katsuobushi are

available from Japanese and

Asian supermarkets.

Japanese rice

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

320 gm Japanese short-

grain rice

1 Place rice in a fine-mesh

strainer and rinse under cold

water, using your fingers to

agitate the rice, until the water

runs almost clear. (Alternatively,

place rice in a pot or bowl

and rinse and drain away the

water 3 times.)

2 Add rice to a large heavy-

based saucepan and cover

with 1½ cups cold water. Let the

rice soak for at least 20 minutes

or up to 1 hour.

3 Bring water to a simmer over

medium-high heat, stirring a

few times to prevent rice from

clumping or sticking. Once

simmering, cover, turn heat to

low and simmer for 14 minutes.

Turn o’ the heat and sit for

5 minutes before uncovering

and flušng it with a spoon or

spatula. Serve within an hour.

Pickled garlic

MAKES 1½ CUPS

225 gm garlic, thinly sliced

˜⁄š cup soy sauce

˜⁄š cup white vinegar

7 tbsp sugar

¼ cup (tightly packed)

katsuobushi (optional;

see note)

1 Bring 6 cups water to a

simmer in a saucepan. Add

garlic and simmer for 5 minutes.

Drain and transfer to a mason

jar or other heatproof container.

2 Combine soy sauce, vinegar

and sugar in a saucepan and

bring to a simmer over medium

heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Add katsuobushi, steep for

5 minutes, then strain and pour

onto garlic. Cool, then cover

and refrigerate overnight before

using. Pickled garlic will keep

refrigerated for weeks.

Note Katsuobushi, dried bonito

flakes, is available from Asian

and Japanese supermarkets. 

138 GOURMET TRAVELLER